Clash
by The Renowned Obscurity
Summary: The unlikely duo of Marley and Buck travel through Victory Road, having the same goal but different mindsets. How will these two opposites cope with one another's attitudes? Oneshot MarleyxBuck


**Here's another random coupling one-shot. This time, it's about Marley and Buck, some of the people that you could partner up with in Diamond/Pearl.**

**I couldn't really remember the personalities of either of them that well, because I traveled with them a super-long time ago. But I tried.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. If I did, things would become horribly warped.**

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Marley stood alone in Victory Road, trying to see through the thick fog surrounding her. She heard tales of mystery and legendary Pokemon living beyond this secluded part of Victory Road, deep underground.

The black-haired girl headed to this deeper part of the cavern in hope of discovering these mysteries. But she did not expect to be met with an obstacle like the fog before her.

Being the wise girl she was, Marley stood by the entrance to this part of Victory Road, hoping a kind Trainer would come by, willing to help her out. It was smarter to travel with someone else after all.

So far though, she wasn't having much luck.

About to give up, Marley turned to exit the cavern. She didn't make it too far though.

She smacked right into something else that she presumed to be human, as it cried out as they both hit the ground in a heap.

The other person rudely pushed Marley away, stood up, and brushed them self off. Through the fog, Marley could make out a boy with fiery red hair in a high ponytail with an apparent equally fiery temper.

"Watch where you're going!" he said angrily. "You shouldn't be standing around like an idiot!"

Marley stared at the boy, shocked by his unnecessary rudeness.

"…You probably can't see through this fog any better than I," Marley pointed out quietly.

"What I can _see_ is a strange looking girl standing in my way!"

Marley glared at him. This is not the type of person she was hoping to run into, but she was desperate.

"…I was wondering…if you could help me through this cave," she said. "I'm Marley, by the way…"

"The name's Buck. And why should I help you? I'm on my way to catch a legendary Pokemon said to live beyond this path."

Realization came to Marley's face as Buck said this.

_…The Pokemon among the flowers…_

"…I'm searching for it too," she said.

"Well I advise you to stay out of my way. That legendary's mine and I'm going to become the most powerful Trainer with it!"

"…So there's no other reason you want to find it?" Marley asked, discouraged. To think she almost thought she had found something in common with the boy.

Buck scoffed.

"What other reason would I want a legendary? I just want to it become strong!"

With that, Buck began to storm off, disappearing into the fog.

"Wait…" Marley said, following him. "Wouldn't it be smart if we…stuck together?"

Buck stopped abruptly, almost causing another collision between the two. She didn't look very strong, but she might be helpful if things got rough.

"Just don't slow me down," he said.

Marley could already tell that this was _not_ going to be an enjoyable adventure.

* * *

Although they clashed personality-wise, Marley and Buck worked rather well together in battle. Marley with her Arcanine and Buck with his Claydol were able to defeat many Trainers along the way.

Unfortunately, they often got lost in the dense fog, causing Buck to have a one-sided argument with Marley. Basically, he would yell while Marley did the sensible thing and attempted to get them back on track.

Finally, the two explorers managed to work their way around the cave until they saw a sliver of light reflecting off the fog. Buck ran ahead, joyous that they had found the exit at last.

They had to shield their eyes from the brightness of the outside light when they stepped out of the cavern. Once their eyes had adjusted, they could see the ended up in a rather forested area, green with lush grass, trees and flowers.

"This doesn't look like a place where a powerful Pokemon would be," Buck commented. Marley, on the other hand, was in silent awe.

"…I sense a presence here… Something lingering in the air…"

Ignoring the fact that she had somewhat scared Buck off, Marley proceeded to wander through the grass in an attempt to locate the source of the peculiar feeling. She traversed through tall grasses, across sandy beaches, and up rocky slopes, with Buck following not too far behind.

Finally, Marley and buck made it to a cliff overlooking the water on which a large boulder sat, gleaming in the sun. Marley ran up to the rock and ran her fingers along the surface. It was extremely smooth and polished like a mirror. She saw Buck approach her from behind, the irritation clear on his face.

"This is just like at Stark Mountain. There's some sort of fancy treasure, but no legendary Pokemon in sight." He sighed.

Marley stared at their reflections in the stone; hers, pensive and somber; his, arms crossed, face full annoyance. Somehow, this image would remain in her memory forever. She remained in some sort of trance for a while, until Buck spoke.

"There's nothing here," he said. "I think I'm going to head home."

These words struck Marley deep. Home: it was something she didn't have, but longed for. This also rang true for friendship. How she desired to have someone other than her Arcanine, and this could be her chance. Buck turned to leave, but Marley spoke up, stopping him.

"Maybe… some other time… we could do this again."

Buck looked puzzled.

"…Look for treasures and legendary Pokemon, I mean…"

He stared at Marley in disbelief, suddenly seeing her in a different light. She was no longer the dark, strange girl he first met. Actually, she looked kind of cute.

Buck felt the color rise in his face and he shook his head to clear his mind.

"Sure," he said slowly. "Hopefully next time, we'll be more successful."

Then Marley did something unexpected.

She smiled, a small, shy smile, but one nonetheless. She watched Buck go, then turned back to the stone.

And there Marley stood, waiting for the appearance of the Pokemon among the flowers, and waiting for Buck's return.

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**It's a bit strange, especially nearing the end, but Marley's a unique character. She kind of talked a lot, more than she did in the games, but if she didn't talk at all the slight romance between her and Buck would've never happened.**

**If you have anything to say, please review.**


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